Radisson eyes heritage hotel growth in Bihar

The Radisson Hotel Group is going big in Eastern India, with particular emphasis on Bihar, where it aims to restore and repurpose heritage properties into upscale hotels. As the country opens up to investment and tourism in the eastern states, the group's plan is a big bet on heritage hospitality development.

In an exclusive conversation, K.B. Kachru, Chairman – South Asia, Radisson Hotel Group, expressed the group's strong intent to maintain local identity.

"We are restoring the properties… not in support of anything where you knock down a heritage building to build a 'big box' building. We have to retain the identity of the town, the culture, the heritage, and we have to respect it," he explained. 

Key highlights:

• Radisson Hotel Group is entering Bihar with plans to restore and repurpose three heritage properties, signaling a major shift toward culture-driven hospitality in Eastern India
• Chairman K.B. Kachru affirms the group’s commitment to preserving local identity, stating that heritage structures will be restored—not replaced—respecting the region’s architectural and cultural legacy
• One of the flagship projects includes the restoration of Patna’s historic Sultan Palace, marking a move away from high-rise development in favor of heritage conservation following public demand

Radisson presently has more than 200 hotels in India, with close to 50 percent of them placed in tier 2 and tier 3 cities—highlighting a judicious growth strategy that is not limited to metros.

In Bihar state in particular, Radisson is developing three heritage-based properties, fuelled by incentives from the state government, especially around pockets where Buddhism tourism is said to be high. Perhaps one of the most prominent projects on the list is a rebuild of the historic Sultan Palace in Patna. Originally slated for demolition to give way to a high-rise hotel, the property will instead be upgraded according to heritage conservation guidelines as a result of public outcry.

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Kachru said, "We are achieving success in tier 2 and tier 3 cities equal to our metro performance. That's extremely satisfying."

For the hospitality industry, Radisson's growth in heritage-laden areas such as Bihar could be a new benchmark for fusing cultural heritage with luxury experience.